Competence measure in social networks

The current research aims to gain insight on user competence in detecting security threats in the context of online social networks (OSNs) and investigates the multidimensional space that determines this user competence level. The role of user competence and its dimensions in facilitating the detection of online threats is still a controversial topic in the information security field. The dimensions used to measure the concept are self-efficacy, security awareness, privacy awareness, and cybercrime experience. The scales used to measure those factors can determine the level of user competence in evaluating risks associated with social network usage. The measurement scales employed here have been validated using an item-categorization approach that, to our knowledge, has never before been used in information security research. The result of this study provides evidence for the suitability and validity of the user competence dimensions and associated measurement scales.